Roisin Midnight: ; Actually, when I write this on paper in class, I'm usually lazy and just skip the Cloister of Trials. Mainly cuz I never remember what goes on in them right at the moment I'm writing. XD Also, there's the fact I limit it to six pages a chapter on paper, so I don't have a whole lot of room for it. But when it comes to the computer version, I try and make it longer and more interesting. As for Auron… Well, I didn't have him and Danielle interact too much when they first see each other, but I'll have that changed when I type up that chapter on my PC. I try and update every day, but it depends on if Mom lets me on the computer ;

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Chapter 6: Vulcain, Ruler of Hellfire

Danielle looked down at the statue in front of her. Another person, cursed to exist forever in a statue, never to be allowed the eternal rest of the dead. Why did they choose to do this? Sin was unstoppable, so why continue to sacrifice summoners to stop it for a few years when it would be better to find a way to kill it for good?

Maybe it was just because she was from Earth instead of Spira. She hadn't suffered through Sin's wrath like the people here had. With a soft sigh, Danielle looked up just in time to see the fayth appear. "You have done well, Roivas. For one not of Spira, you are truly a great summoner."

Danielle shook her head. "I don't get it. Why me? I just want to go home, not have to fight a thousand-year-old monster that's probably more powerful than the Ancients themselves."

"It is not your choice. Just as you were chosen to fight the Ancients, also were you chosen to fight Sin. A being far greater than any other, even the Ancients and Sin, has chosen you, Roivas, to help bring about the defeat of darkness."

Confused thoughts swirled around her mind. The greatest being of all? What was he talking about? "Who chose me?"

"You will discover that in time. Now, take my power and use it. And do not forget that which has vanquished the darkness many times before. You are never alone, no matter how strong the darkness may seem." The fayth flew into her, causing Danielle to let out a cry of surprise and fall to her knees. She gasped for air, feeling a burning power within her.

"Fear not, for I shall keep the darkness away."

Danielle looked up, her eyes wide. That voice… could it be…? "Grandpa?" Danielle whispered. The room was silent. She shook her head as she slowly stood up. Her grandfather had died nearly a month ago. There was no way it could be him.

"You have such little faith, my dear. Have you forgotten what happened? I promised to watch over you and Alex. I shall not go back on that."

Danielle felt an icy hand stroke her cheek, but she didn't move. It really was him!" How are you in Spira? And Alex! Is she okay?"

A ghostly blue figure walked past her, and she knew it was Edward Roivas immediately. While his eyes weren't there, he still had the familiar appearance of the man she had barely known, but was the only true blood relative of her she had known other than her sister.

"Your sister is fine, Danielle. As for how I am here, I'm not bound to one world as a spirit. I may go wherever I wish. But for now, I must depart. Remember that the only way to defeat the darkness is to find the light within. You may believe that the darkness has engulfed it, but it hasn't. You have a strength inside of you far greater than what you know. You just have to know how to use it. Be careful, my child."

As he vanished, Danielle grew confused once more. First the fayth, and now her grandfather. What were they trying to tell her? All she could figure out from their words was that there was someone very powerful that had defeated evil time and time again, and that she had some great power hidden inside of her. But what was she supposed to do? She didn't have the slightest clue on where to find this person or how to use her power.

"Apparently, they think I'll figure it out on my own. Just great. Exactly what I needed right now." With one last look at the statue of Ifrit, she turned around and exited the chamber, wondering what the heck was going on.

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Kilika Forest seemed oddly silent. There were no animals about. Not even fiends could be found. But Danielle was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't notice anything until Kimahri held out a hand to stop her. Danielle looked around, expecting one of the others to question the Ronso, when she saw that they were gone. "Yu—" Kimahri now put his hand over her mouth and shook his head.

"Something here. Danielle keep quiet." As he lowered his hand, his eyes scanned the area. Fear crept through Danielle. What was here? And where were Yuna and the others?

Leaves rustled nearby, and in an instant, Kimahri's lance was pointed in that direction. Nothing came out. Danielle swallowed hard, growing even more fearful. She could feel a presence. It was something evil. Pure evil.

A shadow darted up a tree, actually climbing it. "Kimahri!" Danielle shouted as it dove at him with vicious looking claws outstretched. The Ronso knocked it away with his lance, positioning himself between Danielle and the creature. As it stood up straight, Danielle felt truly terrified by what she saw.

Its skin was black all over. Its human-like face had golden-yellow eyes and white fangs. While most of its body was hidden beneath a black tattered cloak, its arms and legs were visible. Its hands and feet consisted of deadly sharp claws, and the last visible feature on the monster was a reptilian tail.

With an inhuman hiss, it rushed at Kimahri so fast that Danielle could barely track it. He was tackled to the ground, wrestling with the monster. Danielle's eyes widened in fear as she cried his name. The beast looked up at her, and its tail grew in length, slamming into her chest and knocking her into a tree. She grunted in pain, head hitting the trunk. The monster had crossed over to her with one movement, and as it raised its claws, Danielle shut her eyes. That was when she felt something hold her tight.

Danielle opened her eyes once more and saw Kimahri there, shielding her from the blow. He slumped over, a massive gash on his back. Danielle looked at the creature, which was licking the blood from its claws with an evil smile. Its tail elongated, wrapping around Danielle and pinning her arms to her sides. As it pulled her over to it, the beast used one claw to slowly trace down the side of her face. A trickle of blood dripped down her face, and its tongue licked up every bit of blood from the cut.

Trembling in fear, Danielle could only watch as it leaned its head in, fangs pricking the skin just between her shoulder and neck, hot breath washing over her flesh. That was when a ball slammed into the monster's head, distracting it. "Let her go, you creep!"

Danielle felt hope surge through her. "Wakka!" The blitzball captain grinned, and Yuna came up beside him.

"Don't forget us!" Tidus shouted. Lulu and he came out from a group of trees. The monster looked around at them, letting out a growl. Its tail released her, but as soon as she tried to run, its claws tore down through her back. She fell to the ground, the pain bringing tears to her eyes. She tried to push herself up, her arms shaking with the effort, but couldn't. Danielle could feel clawed feet pressing down on her back, sending a fresh burst of pain through it. Tidus saw her and immediately ran forward, slashing with a quick horizontal attack. The monster jumped over it, kicking Tidus in the side of the head and sending him crashing into a tree.

The blitzer used his sword to help him stand, glaring at the monster. It was apparent that he wasn't going to give up. "You're gonna pay for that!" he shouted, rushing forward once more. Before the monster could attack him, Wakka's blitzball slammed into the side of its head, dazing it momentarily and allowing Tidus to hit it with a sword swipe. It didn't even seem faze by the cut, smashing its fist into Tidus's face and sending him to the ground, unconscious.

A bolt of lightning hit the monster, and it spun around to face Lulu. Its tail whipped out and slammed into her chest, knocking her into a tree hard enough to send splinters flying. Drool dripped from its mouth as it began to approach the Black Mage, but it was hit again with a blitzball. Annoyed, it turned to face Wakka and bounded at him, its claws tearing across his chest. As it went by, it kicked him hard in the back, and another of Yuna's guardians were down.

Danielle felt the pain in her back go away slightly, and she saw that Yuna was casting Cure. The monster spotted this also, for it went after the summoner next. "No!" Danielle shouted, anger burning inside. "I won't let you hurt any more of my friends!" The monster stopped right in front of Yuna, looking back at Danielle as she staggered to her feet. As Danielle's anger raged inside, the Kilika emblem appeared. A pillar of fire engulfed her, but while she felt the immense heat, the flames didn't hurt her. She could see an outline in front of her, and she knew what it was immediately. "Vulcain!"

The flames died away, revealing Danielle and her Ifrit. The beast darted away from Yuna towards Danielle, but Vulcain's fist knocked it away. With a screech, it grabbed onto a tree and clambered up it. It dove down at Vulcain, but he was ready. Two flaming spheres shot at the monster, engulfing it in a massive fireball. Vulcain dug his claws into the ground and pulled a huge slab of rock out. He chunked it at the monster, and a massive explosion occurred as it plummeted to the ground, making a crater as it hit.

Danielle grinned, thrusting her fist into the air. "Yeah! You did it, Vulcain!" Her smile fell away as the creature stood up once more, letting out an inhuman snarl that sent shivers up Danielle's spine. It darted at Vulcain, nothing more than a black streak as it jumped at him with such force that its claws enabled it to tear through her aeon.

The Ifrit roared in pain and faded away into pyreflies, and the monster landed on the ground right in front of Danielle. She fell to her knees, gasping for air from the amount of power it took to summon the aeon. "What… does it take… to kill you…?" she managed to mutter, looking up at the beast.

The creature smiled, thrusting its claws into her chest. Her eyes widened, and her jaw dropped open as she felt an icy chill spread from where the claws went in throughout her whole body. The creature leaned forward, whispering an answer into her ear before darkness engulfed her vision and mind. "More than what you have, Danielle."

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The face she saw was that of her adoptive brother, the boy she had never heard from since the death of Max and Kate Sterling.

"Long time no see, huh, sis?" he asked with a cold voice.

Danielle stared at him with wide eyes, choking out the one word that had instantly came to her mind when she saw his face. "W-Why…?"

"You killed Mom and Dad!" he shouted angrily. "You murdered them!"

"N-No!" Danielle stammered. "I loved them… I would never hurt them!"

"Liar!" he roared, throwing her to the ground. "You showed them no mercy when you killed them both. Now I'll do the same to you!"

Danielle slowly staggered to her feet, coughing harshly. "What are you talking about? I didn't hurt them!"

There was a look of hatred on Devin's face, and he completely ignored her words. "You're going to die… just like the rest of the Roivas line will…"